The Principality distributes 399,813 euros among 23 councils at risk of depopulation

The Principality of Asturias has granted 399,813.92 euros from the 2026 Municipal Depopulation Risk Fund to the 23 Asturian councils classified as being at risk of depopulation, in order to finance the actions that each city council selects from its Municipal Plan to Combat Depopulation. This is established by the Resolution of July 28, 2026, of the Department of Presidency, Demographic Challenge, Equality, and Tourism, published in the Official Gazette of the Principality of Asturias (BOPA) No. 177, of September 14, 2026 (official reference: Code 2026-07440).

The allocation comes from the Law of the Principality of Asturias 5/2025, of December 31, on the General Budgets for 2026, which includes the fund for the amount of 400,000 euros, charged to the budget application 11.06.126D.469.089. The grant is supported by the Law of the Principality of Asturias 2/2024, of April 30, on Demographic Impulse, whose Article 10 allows for aid lines via direct grant, and by Decree 83/2025, of June 23, which establishes the demographic zoning and the Synthetic Indicator of Demographic Status (ISDA). The resolution is signed by the counselor Gimena Llamedo González.

The 23 beneficiary councils

According to the classification of Decree 83/2025, councils at risk of depopulation are those whose demographic components are very negative and are undergoing a severe reduction in population. The beneficiaries are:

• Allande (€22,113.74), Aller (€29,815.69), Amieva (€14,332.76)
• Belmonte de Miranda (€18,178.41), Boal (€16,794.94), Caso (€18,612.91)
• Colunga (€15,262.93), Degaña (€11,521.64), Grandas de Salime (€15,076.31)
• Ibias (€22,074.01), Illano (€14,866.37), Pesoz (€12,228.79)
• Ponga (€15,942.91), Proaza (€13,700.14), Riosa (€13,465.48)
• San Martín de Oscos (€12,035.06), Santa Eulalia de Oscos (€12,004.32), Somiedo (€19,718.24)
• Taramundi (€13,512.30), Teverga (€17,403.12), Tineo (€42,375.76)
• Villanueva de Oscos (€11,804.78) and Villayón (€16,973.31)

Distribution criteria

The fund is distributed using rules identical to those of the Municipal Cooperation Fund, combining a fixed allocation and a variable one:

• 40% is distributed in a fixed and identical manner among all beneficiary councils.
• 60% is distributed according to criteria of population (10%), population dispersion (15%), aging (15%), surface area (10%), and orography (10%), using 2025 data from SADEI.
• The population allocation gives triple value to councils with fewer than 500 inhabitants.

Conditions of the aid

The grant covers 100% of the cost of the action and is paid in advance via bank transfer, without requiring a guarantee from the local entities. The actions must be completed within 12 months from the publication in the BOPA, and may be justified within the following 2 months. Councils that have not submitted their strategic framework must develop it before executing the actions, and subcontracting of up to 100% of the activity is permitted.

This resolution concludes the administrative process, and a contentious-administrative appeal may be filed against it before the High Court of Justice of Asturias. With this economic injection, the Principality reinforces its commitment to reversing the demographic trend in the most vulnerable rural municipalities, providing city councils with resources to execute concrete actions against depopulation and improve their demographic indicators.

Source: Official Gazette of the Principality of Asturias, no. 177, of September 14, 2026, I. Principality of Asturias, Other Provisions, pages 1-7 (official reference: Code 2026-07440).